The Way They Met
by thewhiskersonkittens
Summary: Wonder Woman remembers when she and Superman met for the first time decades ago. Maybe a romance wasn't right at the time but who knew what the future had in store? Based on George Perez WW and Action Comics #600.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: This is sort of a re-telling of the early George Perez era of Wonder Woman and Action Comics #600. Honestly, I'm about half-way finishing it and I started to wonder what was my point in writing this? IDK. :P This is the first fanfic of any kind I've written in four years so I'm a little rusty. Thank you for reading/viewing and please leave a review, comments, suggestions, constructive criticism, any thoughts of how I can improve. ****I do not own Wonder Woman, Superman or any other DC Comics characters. No copyright infringement intended. **

Chapter One

**_Many, many years ago…_**

At first, the outside of the Hall of Justice building in Washington, D.C. reminded Diana of the great, large structures built by her Amazon sisters on Paradise Island. Inside, curiously, the white floors glistened pristine. Diana watched her reflection moving in the floor as she walked alongside J'onn J'onzz, the one called Martian Manhunter. He was the first to greet her. Diana hoped her sensation of surprise wasn't too obvious when she first saw the green skinned man. However, she instantly sensed his genuine warmth and was put at ease by how welcoming he was. He led her down the corridor to the conference room where everyone else was waiting.

Sliding electric doors parted and Diana repressed the urge to jump back. She was still so new to man's world back then. Not only in terms of the customs of society but also of all the modern technology. It all frightened and excited her at the same time. Inside, the conference room, costumed heroes mixed and mingled.

J'onn J'onzz gently guided Diana toward a statuesque, leggy blonde wearing a strapless one-piece bodysuit much like Diana's own, but instead of red, blue and gold, it was solid black leather. A cropped black jacket sat upon the woman's shoulders. Fishnet stockings adorned her legs and ankle boots completed the look.

"Princess Diana of Themyscira," J'onn J'onzz introduced. "This is Dinah Lance. She is known as the Black Canary".

Dinah Lance grinned and extended her hand. "I've heard so much about you!" She exclaimed.

The two women shook hands and a conversation began. Diana learned the woman called Black Canary was an expert, even almost deadly, hand-to-hand combatant. Diana was in awe. Outside her Amazon sisters, she had never met another female warrior such as this.

"You would make an excellent Amazon!" Diana told Dinah.

J'onn J'onzz continued to slowly introduce Diana one-by-one to each member in this team called by the press the Justice League of America. Each hero amazed Diana. She had no idea there were so many others out there with gifts, powers, and abilities to do things normal humans could never do. And all in the name of what was good in the world.

She met Guy Gardner, an obnoxious yet confident hero who belonged to an intergalactic space police force named the Green Lantern Corps. There was a friendly and humorous scarlet speedster named Barry Allen whose hero moniker was The Flash. There was a king of the underwater city of Atlantis named Arthur Curry, known as Aquaman.

Diana had a lively conversation with the cheerful Billy Batson known as Captain Marvel who apparently got his powers not only from some of the gods of Olympus that Diana knew and worshiped but from other gods as well she had never heard of before.

A tall, dark imposing figure came up beside Captain Marvel while Diana was conversing with him. Diana took in the sight of a strong, beefy man dressed in black and grey. A black bat symbol was stretched out across his muscular chest. A long black cowl concealed the upper part of his face and extended all the way down to his ankles.

"Diana of Themyscira," J'onn J'onzz said. "This is the Batman".

Diana noticed Martian Manhunter did not mention a real name of this hero. Diana hesitated. She wasn't sure if she should extend her hand for a shake or not. The darkly cloaked man gave off a strange vibe about him. He didn't seem unfriendly, but he didn't seem very welcoming either. Diana wasn't sure what to make of him. The Batman gave her a curt nod and left as quickly as he appeared without a word.

"Don't worry. He's not as scary as he looks," joked Captain Marvel as he gave Diana a playful nudge. "You'll get used to him."

Diana continued to meet all the others. After a while, she started to feel more at ease.

She heard the whoosh of air let in by the opening of the electric sliding doors. Someone else was walking in just then. The conference room which had been buzzing with a steady noise of conversation abruptly fizzled out. Diana could not yet see who this was but she already concluded whoever it may be was obviously very much respected by the members of this team.

She didn't even notice J'onn J'onzz had vanished by her side until she saw him walking back toward her. Only he wasn't alone.

"Great Hera…." Diana whispered. It was all she could say. Her breath hitched in her throat. She felt her heart racing. She was pretty sure time had slowed down. Alongside Martian Manhunter walked the finest specimen of man she had ever seen.

He was in a 6'3'' frame. The countless muscles underneath his blue suit looked like they had been chiseled out of marble. An inverted yellow triangle outlined in red with a big scarlet "S" was emblazoned across his massive chest. A yellow belt held up a pair of red trunks on the lower part of his body which left little to the imagination. Diana felt her cheeks flush. On his feet were a pair of red boots. A crimson cape was attached to his muscular shoulders. It mesmerized Diana the way it lazily fluttered behind him like in slow motion.

His thick hair was the color of onyx; it even gleamed like the gemstone when it caught the light. A single black curl fell across his forehead. Diana found herself staring into his brilliant cornflower blue eyes. His Grecian nose reminded her of the noses sculpted on the many statues of the gods back home on Paradise Island. His full lips formed a smile that revealed a perfect set of white teeth. A smooth, square chin held a cleft in the center.

_By the Gods!_ Diana thought. It was like a dark haired, brightly clad Adonis stood before her. _From where did this man come from? He couldn't possibly be real. Could he?_

"This is princess Diana of Themyscira," J'onn J'onzz began but the Martian Manhunter was gently interrupted by the handsome superhero.

"Please don't trouble yourself, J'onn," His rich, baritone voice was like velvet. It had a strong and firm yet very warm and friendly tone.

"Hello," He said, extending his hand to Diana. "My name is Kal-El. But you may have heard of me by the name of Superman."

Kal-El. Superman. _Yes, of course!_ Diana realized as she slid her hand into his hand to shake. This was the aptly named Superman who protected a city called Metropolis. The tales told about him were legendary. He was known around the world for all his heroics. People looked to him like he himself were a god although he never expected or demanded anyone treat him like one. Some people were even afraid of him, understandable given his tremendous powers, but he never gave anyone a reason to be afraid of him. He was once quoted in the _Daily Planet_ newspaper as fighting for "truth, justice, and the American way." He was the literal beacon of hope in man's world.

"Hello," Diana answered. "I'm Diana, Princess of Themyscira but the press has been calling me Wonder Woman. I'm so pleased to finally meet you."

Kal-El smiled. "No, the pleasure is mine."

It was a simple, genuine statement but something about the way Superman spoke and looked at her gave Diana the strangest sensation inside her stomach. It wasn't a bad feeling; it was an exciting feeling! It was something she never felt before. It was like something was inside her, dancing and fluttering. It would be later to be explained to her by Vanessa Kapatelis as having "butterflies in the stomach".

Kal-El took over for J'onn J'onzz guiding Diana around the rest of the Hall of Justice. He told her of the Justice League's history and mission. The way he talked, Diana knew he was proud of the things the League was accomplishing by helping all of mankind. Yet, she wanted to know more about him. The man he was when he wasn't Superman.

It was all over so quickly. Superman asked her if she was interested in joining with him and his teammates, but she politely declined.

"I really do wish you would reconsider, Wonder Woman." He told her. "We certainly could use someone like you."

There was that tingling feeling again. The "butterflies in the stomach". Diana had not been in man's world very long. There was still so much she had yet to learn. But she sensed her feelings for him were mutual. He looked at her as if he liked what he saw very much.

"I'm sorry, Superman," Diana said. "I was sent here to be an ambassador to man's world. My mission right now is to teach mankind the way of my people, the Amazons. I just don't think it's the right time for me to join the Justice League."

Kal-El nodded. "I understand. Just know that if you ever change your mind, you're always welcome here."

They said their good-byes and Diana flew off back to the Kapatelis' summer home in Massachusetts. Julia would later pepper Diana with all sorts of questions about the Justice League and the different metahumans Diana met. But when Julia brought up Superman, Diana couldn't speak. She didn't even know where to begin to describe him or the feelings he stirred within her.

"What's he really like?" Julia asked.

Diana shook her head. "He's unlike anyone else I've met." She said softly.

"Is that a good or bad thing?" Julia chuckled. "How so is he different?"

But Diana couldn't tell the university professor who had become like a second mother to her. She barely understood it herself. She excused herself and went out to the lake's edge to think and pray.

Many weeks and months passed. A series of events forced Diana's mind off Superman for a while. Her publicist Myndi Mayer arranged a meeting with a woman named Barbara Minerva who had claimed to have possession of a second Golden Girdle of Gaea. Upon meeting Minerva, Diana discovered the British archaeologist was lying about having said artifact proven by the fact that Minerva was holding Diana's golden lasso in her hands at the time. Diana had never felt so deceived and betrayed before. That such trickery had come from another female added insult to injury.

Furious, Diana stormed out despite the pleas from both Minerva and Myndi, who said she had no idea Minerva was a fraud. Diana was starting to learn quick you couldn't take everyone at face value in man's world. Not long after the disastrous encounter, Diana found herself surprise attacked by a spotted she-beast, a Cheetah, in the woods near the Kapatelis' home. Diana had never faced a foe like this before. She and the Cheetah battled each other ferociously, the cat-like woman even drawing blood from Diana's skin with her razor-sharp claws. The Cheetah disappeared into the lake when Julia abruptly intervened and fired a rifle at her.

There were lots of questions. Who was the Cheetah woman? What was she after? Why was she trying to kill Diana? The questions had to remain unanswered for the time being. It was time for Diana to return home to Paradise Island. She exchanged a tearful goodbye with Julia and Vanessa and flew home.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

Diana was overjoyed to be back home. She didn't realize how much she missed her fellow Amazons and her mother, Queen Hippolyta until she was embracing all of them again. Diana told the Amazons everything that she had learned so far about man's world. Diana didn't get to relax long. She was summoned in the sky by Zeus himself. What an extraordinary sight! The heavens had opened wide and the most dazzling light shone everywhere. The most powerful god among gods was deeply pleased with Diana for her success in defeating Ares. Zeus wanted to take Diana back to Mount Olympus. He wanted her to be intimate with him, but Diana declined as respectfully as she could. As much as she revered him, she had no desire to make love with the king of the gods. In her heart she felt it wasn't right.

Zeus' hair-trigger temper was set off by the refusal and he began striking Diana with his lightning bolts. Queen Hippolyta intervened, and Zeus was eventually forced away by his wife queen of the gods, Hera. However, it wasn't over. Diana still had to report to Mount Olympus and there she received a challenge from the gods. She was to enter the demon's lair located underneath Themyscira and defeat all the evil that dwells within the darkness there. No one had ever accomplished such a daunting task before.

Diana donned her armor and began the challenge. She made it through, defeating Cottus, the Hydra, and Echidna. Diana met the woman she was named after, Diana Trevor, Steve Trevor's mother, who had died helping the Amazons at the demon's lair gateway. Through this meeting, Diana learned what her true destiny was. She was to be the bridge between two worlds: Themyscira and man's world.

Despite of all the horrible things Hercules once did to Hippolyta and her Amazons, she wanted to set him free. After battling with the Minotaur and catching all the demons trying to escape the lair inside the talisman given to her by Harmonia, Ares' daughter, the balance of order was restored. The stone broke off Hercules and Zeus declared his son no longer had to shoulder Themyscira. Diana brought Zeus' son to the island's surface and watched a beautiful thing unfold. Hercules apologized sincerely for his past transgressions against the Amazons and Queen Hippolyta. He was forgiven whole heartedly, and a celebration ensued. Hippolyta, who firmly insisted her daughter stay home for good, gave Diana her blessing to return to man's world.

While soaring happily above Paradise Island's skies, Diana witnessed a curious sight. She saw her mother standing in secluded area with Hercules. She did not hear their conversation, but she saw Hippolyta surrender herself to a loving embrace in Hercules' arms. He lowered his lips to hers and they kissed tenderly. It wasn't the first time Diana had seen something like this. She had seen men and women do this frequently with each other in man's world. But it was the first time she had ever seen this happen on Themyscira. Diana wondered what it felt like- to kiss a man. What was her mother feeling right now? Did Hippolyta experience the "butterflies in the stomach" with Hercules like Diana did when she met Superman?

Superman. Her visit home had kept her mind very occupied but now she was going back to man's world. Back to her friends Julia and Vanessa and Steve and Etta Candy and…Kal-El. Superman.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

Back in Massachusetts, Julia and Vanessa were thrilled to see Diana again and she was happy too at their reunion.

At night, Diana dreamt of the Man of Steel. He appeared to her in the sky, much like Zeus did, surrounded by brilliant light. His crimson cape fluttered behind him, his arms outstretched to welcome her in an embrace, his handsome face beaming. Although, unlike what happened with Zeus, Diana wasn't sure if she would turn down an invitation of intimacy this time if it was offered.

She floated up to him, closer, and closer, and closer…She was enveloped in his burly arms. She could of swore she heard him whispering her name over and over like a mantra: "Diana…Diana…Diana…"

Their heads titled and slowly his face lowered to close the gap between them. As soon as she expected his lips on hers, a great flash of lightening snapped, and Diana shot straight up in her bed, shaken by what she had just dreamed.

"Great Hera…" Diana muttered to herself in the dark. _I cannot stop thinking about Superman._ She thought. _What does it all mean? I am in love? Or is it infatuation? _She had read in Julia's vast collection of books about the romantic love between men and women in man's world. It was often a very passionate feeling. It was usually a positive thing. But she had also learned how it drove people crazy. She learned how intensely people would feel for someone they were in love with. They would kill for it. They would die for it. It frightened Diana to her very core. She got up out of bed and quietly slipped out into the crisp New England night air. She walked down to the lake's edge, shrugged off her robe and began to pray to Eros, asking the god of love to show her a sign, to translate to her these complicated feelings growing inside her.

Out of all people, it was Vanessa who Diana ended up confiding to. The curly redheaded, bubbly teenager found it most amusing.

"_You_ have a _crush _on _Superman_?!" Vanessa squealed in delight. "Oh my god, Diana! That's _soooo_ adorable! Oh, wow! You're like…._ perfect_ for each other!"

"Do you really think so?" Diana asked. She loved Vanessa very much but was now internally questioning herself whether consulting a fourteen-year-old girl on the matter had been a silly move.

"Absolutely!" Vanessa exclaimed. "What are you going to do next?! Are you going to call him and tell him how you feel?"

Diana stood next to Vanessa's bookshelf in her bedroom, her eyes scanning the different objects and trinkets the teenager had on display. Her eyes landed on a heart-shaped picture frame that held a photo of Vanessa and her boyfriend together. They were sitting together on a bench, both grinning at the camera. His right arm was slung loosely over her neck and she was resting her head on his shoulder. They were holding hands.

"I don't even know if he feels the same way about me," Diana said softly of Superman, her eyes still on Vanessa's picture.

On her bed, Vanessa flipped over onto her stomach and began to swing her legs back and forth. She propped herself up on her elbows, resting her head in her hands underneath her chin.

"Well, you never know unless you try." Vanessa said. "_Someone_ has to make the first move!"

Diana noticed how Vanessa liked to emphasize certain words when she spoke. Diana wondered if that was common among teenagers here in America or if it was just Vanessa.

"I bet Ms. Mayer could find out Superman's number," Vanessa was now saying. "You should get back in touch with her."

Diana turned to look at Vanessa who had changed positions yet again on her bed. She was on her back, thumbing through a gossip magazine while blowing a pink bubble of gum out of her mouth. The bubble made a soft pop, Vanessa sucked the gum back in, and blew another bubble as she hummed along to a popular song that was playing on the radio on her nightstand.

Diana hadn't spoken to Myndi Mayer since the meeting with Barbara Minerva. Perhaps she should contact her old publicist again. The woman seemingly had connections to just about everybody.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

Weeks later, Myndi Mayer had worked her magic. She knew Superman often spoke to one of two reporters at the _Daily Planet_: Lois Lane and Clark Kent. Myndi preferred to arrange the rendezvous with the help of Ms. Lane however the star journalist was unavailable. Not wanting to waste time, Myndi asked to be transferred to Mr. Kent.

"Hello, sweet thing, Mr. Kent!" Myndi cooed into the phone when he answered after the first ring. She called everybody "sweet thing". She didn't really know why; just considered it a weird habit she picked up some time ago.

Unbeknownst to Diana, Myndi was not doing this for purely altruistic reasons. A Superman/Wonder Woman meeting would be a publicity agent's wet dream come true. She could already hear the _ka-ching! _of millions being made.

"So, what do ya say, darling?" Myndi asked Clark after she had made him some lucrative offers. She lit another cigarette despite there already being one burning on her ashtray.

"Uh…gee…I don't know Ms. Mayer," Clark replied. Myndi pictured the newsman at his desk in Metropolis, probably wiping his brow, pushing up his thick glasses and adjusting his neck tie for the hundredth time today. _He's sweet._ Myndi thought. _Kind of cute too. Nice bod. If he wasn't such an awkward pantywaist of a guy he'd be quite the hunk!_

"I'm sure Superman would be more than happy to get together with Wonder Woman again." Clark went on. "But I don't think having a media circus around them would be in good taste."

"Clark, sweetie, you worry too much!" Myndi leaned back in her chair, propped up her pumps on her desk and casually began blowing smoke rings. She wondered how long she would have to butter him up.

"I promise you'll get ten percent! And your newspaper will get all the exclusives…"

"Hey…um…Ms. Mayer?" Clark said, abruptly changing the subject. "He's here. He's ready to talk to Wonder Woman now."

Myndi instantly up righted herself in her chair and stubbed out her cigarette.

"Excellent," She purred. She told her assistant to bring Diana in.

Diana took the phone from Myndi and put the receiver to her ear.

"Hello? This is she," Diana said.

At first, she didn't recognize his voice. Maybe it had been too long since they last spoke. But soon that familiar voice, so friendly and utterly masculine, on the other end of the line made Diana beam from ear to ear. Myndi was still in the office, standing in the corner next to an artificial elephant ear plant, dragging on another cigarette and hanging on to every word of Diana's side of the conservation. Diana wondered what her publicist was thinking about her now. She realized her index finger was fidgeting with the spiral phone cord, twisting it around her finger as she spoke to Superman. It was the kind of thing Vanessa did whenever she talked to her boyfriend over the phone.

Superman told her how much he'd been eager to see her again.

"I've been anxious to see you again, too," Diana replied. "I guess we've both been a little busy."

"Yes, indeed." Superman agreed. "Would you like to meet up with me sometime? Maybe this weekend?"

"This weekend?" Diana repeated. She gave it a thought and then laughed at herself. Like she was going to turn down a date with Superman!

"That would be nice," She answered. "Where?"

"Well…um…" Superman hesitated and then quickly said: "Hey, I know this may seem kind of weird, but do you know of a place called Smallville? It's a small town in Kansas."

"No, but I think I could find it," Diana told him.

"It's not as exciting as Boston or Metropolis but at least we'll have some privacy."

"That sounds nice. I'll look forward to it."

"Great! Me as well, Wonder Woman. I'll see you soon. Take care."

"Same to you. Good-bye, Superman," and with that Diana handed the receiver back to Myndi. Diana was so excited she forgot to thank Myndi for contacting Superman.

She ran out of the office building before she could hear Myndi resuming her conversation with Clark Kent of the _Daily Planet_:

"Mr. Kent, sweet thing?! Great job getting Superman on the phone! Honestly, I don't know how it's always so easy for you and Ms. Lane to get a hold of him….so where are the lovebirds meeting at? What do you mean you don't know?! You mean he didn't tell you?! Well, go ask him! He flew away already?! I just don't believe you sometimes, Kent...No, I can't ask Wonder Woman; she's already gone! I thought we had a deal, Kent. You gotta go?! Don't you dare hang up on me! Mr. Kent?! Clark?! Clark! KENT!"


	5. Chapter 5

**Thank you for all the favorites, follows, and reviews! :)**

Chapter Five

On Saturday night, with Vanessa's help, Diana found where Kansas was and figured out the coordinates of Smallville.

"I can't believe someone as awesome and as hot as Superman comes from some drab place like Kansas!" Vanessa scoffed as she looked over the map. "You'd think with those movie-star looks and a body like that, he'd come from California or at least someplace cool."

Diana smiled as she remembered something Julia once said.

"Don't judge a book by it's cover," Diana told Vanessa, knowing it would prompt an eye-roll from the teenager. Vanessa did not disappoint.

"Yeah, OK, whatever…._ MOM!" _Vanessa joked, and Diana laughed. She was learning that people in man's world like to use what they called "sarcasm" a lot.

Diana made Vanessa promise she wouldn't divulge where she and Superman were meeting, and Vanessa swore her secrecy. Diana said she'd be back soon and flew off toward the direction of the central United States.

When she was soaring above the Kansas skies, Diana realized she and Superman never specified where exactly in Smallville to meet. Underneath the haze of clouds, Diana spotted little specks of light here and there. As she flew closer, she determined this was the actual town of Smallville and she was flying over Main Street. Diana knew better than to wait for Superman there. Privacy had seemed important to him over the phone as she wanted to respect that.

She continued to glide past the town and out into the wide-open plains. Farmland stretched as far as she could see under the glow of a full moon. She supposed it might look different in the daytime, but Diana did not find herself agreeing with Vanessa's "drab" assessment of Kansas.

She spotted a brook, partially frozen from the chilly late autumn air. As she landed near the brook, the frost on the ground made a soft crunch under her red and white boots. Diana took in her surroundings. Everything seemed so still and serene. The few trees around the area were barren. _Kansas is definitely not as woodsy as Massachusetts is_, Diana concluded.

She wasn't sure how long she waited or if she was even in the right place. Soon she saw a figure appear in the night sky. She waved and he waved back. The glow of the moon seemed to illuminate his bright blue and red suit. She couldn't stop smiling as he slowly descended from the sky and she was saw that he was smiling too.

"Hello, Superman – "

Diana never had a chance to finish her greeting. It was almost like she was back in the tail end of her recurring dream with Superman fully embracing her and pressing his lips to hers. Only this time, it wasn't a dream. There was no flash of lighting and Diana did not wake up in bed.

His mouth was truly on hers. The warmth of the chaste kiss spread all over her body. Butterflies danced like crazy inside her stomach. Then something strange happened, something was prying her lips apart. Diana's eyes snapped opened when she realized Superman was trying to deepen the kiss with his tongue. She had never felt a sensation like this before. She automatically tensed up. She had no idea how to respond to this. Superman, sensing her panic, opened his eyes, broke the kiss and both superheroes stood staring at each other in stunned silence, like deer caught in the headlights of an oncoming car.

"Oh my god," Superman whispered. A wave of shame washed over his face. His eyes reflected his embarrassment. "I am so sorry, Wonder Woman. That was way out of line. I shouldn't have done that."

He realized he was still holding her in his arms and immediately released her. Simultaneously, they both took a couple steps back from each other. They were both trying to process what just happened.

"It's OK, Superman," Diana said, nervously fidgeting with her curls. "I just wasn't expecting that, that's all."

"I feel like such a fool," Superman scolded himself. "I'm so sorry. Ever since we met back in Washington I've been thinking about you a lot."

His words surprised her. "Really?" She asked.

"Yes," He answered. "I guess I thought about you so much…and I even had a dream about you…"

Diana gaped. _He dreamt about me too?!_

"I guess I fooled myself into thinking that…you, know, that you have the same feelings for me. And I got a little carried away. I'm so sorry." Superman continued.

Diana reached out and gave his shoulder a comforting touch.

"You don't need to apologize so much," she said. "It's not like I haven't been thinking about you a lot as well."

Superman raised his eyebrows at her confession.

"You mean," He carefully began. "You've been thinking about me, too?"

Diana nodded.

Superman seemed to relax a little bit after learning this.

"So," There was a hint of hope in his tone. "Is there a chance you might feel the same way about me?"

"I don't know," She answered honestly. She searched his blue eyes for understanding and saw it waiting patiently for her there.

"I am very new to man's world." Diana explained. "I come from an island made up entirely of women. These emotions…these romantic feelings between the sexes…between men and women…I don't completely understand them yet."

She wanted to add more but didn't know what else to say.

"Well, then," Superman said after a brief moment of silence. "Please…let's start over." He smiled, offering his hand to her. "Come fly with me!"

Diana happily accepted, sliding her hand into Superman's and together they took off.


	6. Chapter 6

**Thank you for all the follows, favs, and reviews! :) There will be one more chapter after this one. (I apologize I keep going back and forth with Superman/Clark/Kal in the narration. From this point on I will refer to him as Clark)**

Chapter Six

"This is where I feel most at home," Clark said to Diana as they soared side-by-side through the sky over Smallville. Dawn was beginning to break in the sky.

"There's nothing that compares to the feeling of being able to fly."

"Yes," Diana agreed. "It fits people like us, doesn't it? We who are like humans but can do so much more!"

"That's one way to put it," Clark answered. "But I am more human than you think." He began to explain to her his origin, how he was born an alien on Krypton but sent to earth as a baby to escape its destruction.

Clark took a sharp left and began to nose-dive. Diana followed and copied his movements. They both leveled out and continued gliding past the vast farmland. They were enjoying flying together.

"Is that where your name comes from, Superman? The name Kal-El? From Krypton?" Diana asked.

Clark nodded. "Yes, it is. It was given to me by my parents Jor-El and Lara. But here on earth, in my daily life, when I'm at work or when I'm not being Superman…people call me Clark. That's what Ma and Pa named me when they found me."

"Which would you rather me call you by?" Diana asked.

"Please, call me Clark. Everyone does." He cast a sideways glance at her and grinned. "Although, I do like the way you say 'Kal', Wonder Woman."

Diana smiled. "Then, please, Kal, call me Diana."

They smiled at each other feeling warm all over like a bond had just newly formed between them. Diana then asked Clark if he was on par with the gods.

"The gods?" Clark repeated, slightly confused. "Oh, no, Wonder-I mean, Diana. Trust me, I am no god."

"You are being too humble, are you not?" Diana said.

Clark laughed. "No, my dear princess, I am no god. I do not think of myself as one. I can do many things ordinary humans could never do, but all in all, I'm just a simple farm boy from Kansas."

Clark flew right and Diana followed.

"Come," Clark said. "I'll show you the home where I grew up. Maybe you can meet Ma and Pa."

Diana and Clark flew towards the Kent family farm but, abruptly, the sky turned a peculiar red color. A swirl began to form rapidly in the sky.

"Diana!" A frantic, disembodied voice cried out from the swirl. "Diana! Please, help me!"

A face began to form in the swirl and Diana gasped.

"Hermes?!" Diana exclaimed at the sight of the messenger god. "Hermes, my lord! What is it?!"

"Diana, please!" Hermes repeated. "Help me!"

"What is _that_, Wonder Woman?!" Clark cried but the Amazon princess was already diving into the swirl.

"Stay back, Superman!" Diana warned him. She disappeared inside the swirl unaware that Clark was swiftly behind her.

**…**

Clark had waited too long to see her again and he'll be damned to lose her again. Whatever it was it inside the swirl calling out to Wonder Woman for help was going to have to accept Superman's help as well. When Clark entered the swirl, he felt like he had been instantly liquidized and was spinning around inside of a blender.

When he came to, he found himself alone and surrounded by ancient marble ruins.

"Wonder Woman?" Clark called out. "Diana?"

There was no answer. Clark used his x-ray vision to see through the marble walls but had no luck. He kept searching…

**…**

"Hermes?" Diana called out in the dark corridor she wandered into. She wondered where she was. The place she ended up looked like Mount Olympus but it couldn't be. It was decimated, dark, and topsy-turvy.

"Diana!" A voice cried out to her. Diana followed the voice until it led her to a jail cell where behind the iron bars, lay a defeated Hermes. She broke the door off the hinges with a single punch of her fist and ran to the god's side.

"Oh, praise Zeus!" cried Hermes when he felt Diana's arms wrapped around him, propping him up. Diana brushed Hermes curly hair out of his face and saw he frail he looked.

"Hermes!" Diana exclaimed. "Who has done this to you?!"

"An evil god from another world," Hermes coughed. "He calls himself Darkseid!"

**…**

Clark stopped at the foot of a set of steps. From behind a column at the top of the stairs, Wonder Woman appeared.

"Wonder Woman!" Clark called. "I've been looking all over for you!"

"Hello, Superman," Wonder Woman purred. "I'm glad you found me. Come here, I have something for you."

A slight twitch in his stomach alerted him. Were his ears deceiving him or did Wonder Woman now speak to him in a lascivious tone? She bounced down the steps and approached him. She flung her arms around his neck and pressed her body flush with his. Clark felt his face blush. What was going on? How could this be the same Wonder Woman who had suddenly panicked when he kissed her earlier?

"Wonder Woman? I mean, Diana?" Clark asked, confused. "You seem…different?"

"Do I, darling?" She answered, huskily. She was giving him bedroom eyes as she leaned in.

"Aren't I pleasing to you?" She whispered. She forcefully pressed her mouth on his. Clark was now the one who was startled as her tongue wrestled with his.

**…**

Hermes explained to Diana who Darkseid was and what his intentions were. Darkseid was a maleficent god from Apokolips who wanted to take over Olympus.

As Diana helped the battered Hermes to his feet, Superman appeared in the doorway of the jail cell.

"Superman!" Diana exclaimed. She had no idea he had followed her into the swirl.

"Yep, that's me," He tartly replied. Diana flinched. She hadn't known him very long, but something seemed off about him.

Superman nodded to the man in her arms and asked who he was. Diana explained it was the messenger god, Hermes. Superman moved toward Diana, arms open, willing to help with the frail god.

"Let me help you, Wonder Woman," Superman said, taking Hermes and resting him on his shoulder.

Diana felt a twitch in her stomach. Superman's voice was not the same. He also didn't seem as friendly as he did before.

"Superman?" Diana said. "Are you OK? You seem…different?"

Superman glared at her. "Yes, I suppose I am different," He barked. "Because I AM DIFFERENT!"

Superman swung his free arm so fast Diana had no time to react. She flew backwards into the wall, the impact of his punch made her feel like she ran into a brick wall at full speed.

When she stood up, she saw it was not Superman who punched her, it was Kalibak, a monstrous, massive beast of a male who resembled a cave-man.

**…**

Clark pushed away Wonder Woman. He was about to confront her about her strange behavior however she started laughing uncontrollably and began changing appearances. His suspicious were confirmed. It was a counterfeit Wonder Woman.

"Amazing Grace!" Clark cried at the sight of one of Darkseid's most loyal minions.

"Hello, loverboy," Amazing Grace teased. "I'm so happy you remember me, darling."

He ignored her reference to her past brainwashing and seduction of him.

Clark stated the obvious: "If you're here, then Darkseid must be here!"

Amazing Grace smiled. "You're as sharp as ever, Superman. Now come and get me if you can!"

She took off running and Clark chased after her.

**…**

Kalibak and Amazing Grace led Diana and Clark on a seemingly endless chase through the ruins of Olympus. The villains eventually escaped their sight but soon Diana and Clark crossed each other's path. They both paused and stared at one another. They were both thinking the same thing: was the other one an imposter like before? There was only one way to find out.

Diana picked up a column and threw it at Clark, who swiftly dodged it. He busted through another column at top speed, sending marble fragments everywhere. Diana evaded the falling debris and managed to grab a hold of Clark's boot and hurled him like a shot-put through the air. They kept throwing anything they could find at each other. The surrounding area was pummeled, and they ended up breaking through to where Darkseid and his assistant Desaad was watching everything unfold in his lair.

Darkseid, having intended to trick Diana and Clark into destroying one another, was furious that they both saw through his deceptive plan.

"Mock battle?!" Darkseid exclaimed when Diana and Clark admitted their fight was fake.

"We had to test each other," Diana said.

"To make sure the other was not an imposter like before," Clark added. "Your lackeys Kalibak and Amazing Grace don't have the abilities we can do."

Diana took in the sight of Darkseid. He was about as tall as Ares but not as muscular. His face was made of stone. Red eyes glared at her and Clark. His deep voice was cold and calculating.

"It doesn't matter!" Darkseid told them. "I have conquered Olympus! I am going to make it as dark and bleak as Apokolips!" He raised his fists and shook them in victory at the sky.

"You haven't conquered anything," Diana told the evil god. "There's nothing here."

Darkseid's blood red eyes glowed with rage at the Amazon princess. He took a step toward her. Clark instantly stepped forward, instinctively wanting to protect Diana but she held out her arm to signal to Clark she wasn't afraid.

"You _dare_ to argue with me, woman?!" Darkseid seethed.

"I'm not arguing with you, Darkseid," Diana replied, calmly. "I'm only pointing out the obvious. Look around you. The gods are not here. And do you really think you could take Olympus so easily if they were here?"

Darkseid scoffed. "Yes, they are here! My parademons are searching every inch of Olympus. No stone will be left unturned!"

"Excuse me, m-master," Desaad squeaked. All eyes fell on Darkseid's assistant. He was a pale, thin, ghoulish looking man dressed in a purple cloak.

"I've just received word that the parademons cannot find the gods. The Amazon is right. They are not here."

Darkseid roared with anger. Thinking once again Darkseid was going to fly into a rage, Clark jumped in front of Diana, shielding her and not taking "no" for an answer this time.

However, Darkseid made no effort to attack the superheroes.

"Give it up, Darkseid," Clark said. "What you have now is only good in name. It has no value without the gods. It's all pointless."

Standing behind him, Diana couldn't help but find Clark's sudden authoritative tone attractive.

Darkseid snarled. "You know me well enough by now, Kryptonian, that nothing I do is pointless. Petty? Perhaps. But never pointless."

Darkseid pressed a button on the control panel of his lair. There was a sonic boom and flash of light. Clark and Diana ducked for cover. When they rose, they saw Darkseid and Desaad had vanished.

"Where did he go?" Diana asked Clark.

"Probably back to Apokolips," Clark answered. "But what was that button he pushed?" Clark squinted and used his x-ray vision to scan the surrounding area.

Clark gasped. "There are explosives in the walls everywhere!"

He grabbed Diana's hand. "We have to get out of here! But how?"

Diana and Clark met each other's eyes. It was their first adventure together and quite possibly their last. They held each other's hands, each trying to silently comfort the other.

"Don't worry, Superman…" A weak but gentle voice said.

Diana and Clark both jumped at the sound of the voice behind them and turned to see Hermes.

"Hermes!" Diana cried. She felt bad the messenger god was all but forgotten. She was glad to see him regaining his strength back enough to stand on his own.

"Olympus is eternal, dear friends," Hermes told Diana and Clark as he leaned against a pillar.

The three of them then witnessed a massive explosion and a mushroom cloud formed. Yet, they all remained completely intact.

Clark was rendered speechless for a moment. He finally spoke:

"That…that was the weirdest thing I've ever seen." He was in awe. "And I've seen_ plenty_ of weird things in my lifetime so that says a lot."

Diana placed her hand on Clark's shoulder.

"Lord Hermes is right," She said. "Only the gods could destroy Olympus if they wanted to."

Clark turned to Diana and they shared a smile. The red swirl circled around them and together they both found themselves back in Smallville by the brook where they had met.

**...**

"Wow," Clark said. "I can't believe it. Olympus and Hermes? The Greek gods? It was all…amazing."

"I'm glad you were there with me," Diana told him.

Clark turned to face her. "It makes me think..."

He trailed off. Diana noticed his handsome face dropped and he was frowning.

"What is it?" Diana asked.

Clark sighed. "It makes me think…I was so foolish to ever think a romance was possible with you, Wonder Woman. Here you are a strong and beautiful demi-goddess tied to the Greek gods. I may be from Krypton but I'm really just a Midwestern boy at heart. You're way out of my league."

Clark seemed so sad that it made Diana's heart wince. She put her hand on his shoulder.

"You are more than just a farm boy, Superman." She told him. "You are the world's greatest hero. People look up to you. You inspire them. You shouldn't be so hard on yourself and put yourself down like that…" Diana paused then continued: "Maybe…maybe…right now, it's not the right time to consider…a romance between us…"

Diana paused again and considered all that had transpired in the last several months. She thought about the first time she had seen him in person at the Hall of Justice and how she thought he was the most gorgeous person she'd ever laid eyes on, she thought about how she dreamt of him at night, how she wrestled with her complicated emotions, feelings she'd never experienced before, how she confided in Vanessa, and how Myndi Mayer had set up this "date". Diana relished the thought that Clark admitted she also had been on his mind since that first initial meeting in Washington. She smiled to herself when she thought about how he kissed her but then recalled how she panicked. There was no denying that there was a spark between them. But a romance just wasn't practical at the time. She was too new to man's world and more important things vied for her attention. She left Paradise Island to be an ambassador; not to find a boyfriend. At least not yet.

"We are in different places right now," Diana said. "But I do hope we can be friends, Superman."

She smiled. "Superman…Clark…Kal…" She giggled.

Clark grinned. "I think this is the start of a great friendship, Wonder -…err…Diana." He laughed. "I guess one of these days we'll figure out what we want to call each other by!"

Together they laughed. They shook hands and waved to each other as they departed in the sky.


	7. Chapter 7

**Thank you for all the reviews, follows, and favs! Thank you for sticking with me on this story. I hope to write more SM/WW stories soon with more original content! :)**

Chapter Seven

**_Present Day…_**

Diana stood on the balcony of her London apartment. Wearing a white terrycloth bath robe and nursing a cup of coffee, she was deep in thought. So deep in thought she didn't realize someone was calling her name from behind her. She felt a pair of strong arms sliding around her waist from behind. Diana smiled as she rested her coffee cup on the rail. She was pulled closer to the body behind her. A hand gently brushed aside her hair, exposing her neck. Diana couldn't stop beaming as she felt his lips planting kisses on her neck.

"Good morning, Kal…" Diana warmly greeted him. She titled her head slightly to give him more access.

"Mornin', beautiful," Clark said in between kisses.

Diana's eyes fluttered shut as she let Clark lavish attention on her neck. A soft moan escaped from her lips and there was that sensation again. The "butterflies in the stomach". After all these years, he still had that effect on her. Her eyes snapped open and she turned around to face him.

"Keep that up and we'll never leave this apartment," Diana teased. She finger combed through his bed hair; the curl was still there as always.

Clark smiled. "I don't see a problem with that."

Clark was shirtless, only clad in a pair of red boxers. Diana let her hands trail down from Clark's hair, across his sharp jawline where she felt the start of some five o'clock shadow, sliding over his bare shoulders and across his chest. She stroked the patch of dark hair she found there.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Clark asked. "I said your name like three times earlier. Something wrong?"

Diana shook her head. "No," She replied. "I was just thinking…remembering…the way we met."

Clark wrinkled his brow. "Remembering?" He chuckled. "No offense, Diana, but that doesn't sound like you. You're not really the reminiscing type."

Clark was right. He was the more nostalgic one between the two of them. Diana learned from the past and moved on. She was more concerned with what was next; not wasting time walking down memory lane.

"I know," Diana said. "But I couldn't help but think back to that time. Especially after…well, you know...the last few days."

It was as if decades ago, a seed had been planted between them. A friendship blossomed freely over several years. Diana eventually joined the Justice League. Their adventure facing off with Darkseid was just the first of many team-ups to come. Together, they battled countless other supervillains and ordinary criminals alongside the League. In their down-time, they were each other's confidants. They knew they could trust each other, they understood each other, and they never had to hide who they truly were from each other. They had become the best of friends. The seed contained friendship, of course, but it also contained something much more. It contained the undeniable spark that had been there since the beginning. It grew slowly, patiently. It was repressed by both sides. Diana and Clark had dated other people since the years they decided to be "just friends". But they always found themselves drawn to one another. No matter how hard they tried to suppress it, the attraction and the love could never go away.

Then, the night before last, they finally confessed their feelings for each other. In a fit of passion, they acted upon those feelings in a lovemaking spree that had spanned two days now. But they didn't worry if it had all been fling. They knew their love was real.

Clark kissed Diana's forehead. "Yeah, I remember, too." He said. "When I saw you that day in Washington I never seen anyone else so beautiful before. Sure, I acted all calm, cool, and collected. But on the inside I was a nervous wreck approaching you."

"I thought for sure you just_ had_ to be a god." Diana smiled. "Everything about you. Your face, your body, your hair, your eyes, and the way you smiled. I thought you looked like a…a big, blue Adonis."

Clark laughed and hugged Diana.

"So much has changed since then, huh?" Clark sighed. He held her close as he rested his chin upon her head.

Pressed against his bare chest, Diana inhaled in Clark's musky scent.

"Yes, it has," She agreed.

In the years since, Diana had gotten to know the enigmatic Batman. Steve Trevor and Etta Candy had gotten married and they were still good friends of Diana's. Diana still kept in touch with Julia Kapatelis. Diana found it hard to believe Vanessa was now a grown woman. At one point in time, Vanessa had been brainwashed by Diana's enemies into becoming a villainess; the Silver Swan. It broke Diana's heart to see the young girl she loved so much become an antagonist against her. Vanessa, with Diana's help and the help of her follow Amazons, was eventually returned back to normal. She graduated from college and was now married with two beautiful children. The Cheetah woman had come back several times since she first attacked Diana outside the Kapatelis' summer home. She was revealed to be Barbara Minerva herself and in the years since has become one of Diana's arch-enemies. Myndi Mayer suffered a tragic ending, dying of a cocaine overdose. Although she never considered herself close to her old publicist, Diana thought it was a terrible fate for anybody to succumb to. She remembered how shocked she was at the time. The concept of a drug overdose was completely foreign to her. Sometimes it made Diana internally cringe at herself when she remembered how painfully naïve she was back then. Lastly, Diana did finally get meet Clark's adoptive parents, Jonathan and Martha Kent, luckily right before Pa Kent passed away. They were such good people it was no wonder to Diana where Clark's kind nature and values came from.

Diana looked up at Clark.

"Yes, a lot has changed, but some things haven't," She said, smiling.

He was returning her smile when she kissed him. A memory raced through her mind just then and she laughed.

"Remember when we met up in Smallville?"

Clark chuckled. "Oh, yeah. I could never forget that. Our first "date". It was our first adventure together."

"It was also my first kiss," Diana casually mentioned. She arched her eyebrow in confusion when Clark's jaw dropped.

"Uh...what?" Clark said. "Your…first…your first kiss?!"

Diana laughed. She gave him a playful pinch.

"Yeah, you silly spaceman! Don't stand there and act like you didn't know."

Clark cheeks suddenly turned several different shades of red.

"Your_ first_ kiss?! No…I didn't…I didn't know that!"

He released Diana from his arms and began running his fingers through his hair. Diana always thought Clark was adorable when he was embarrassed.

"You never told me that," Clark said.

"I thought you knew all this time," Diana said. She went to hug him. "Calm down, Kal, it's OK."

He wrapped his arms around her and breathed a sigh of relief.

"I can't believe you never told me that," Clark whispered.

"Wasn't it obvious? By the way I panicked?"

"Yes, but...I thought I just surprised you. The way I just walked up and –"

"You _did_ surprise me!"

"I know, but…" Clark sighed. "I've always felt like such a jerk for doing that. Without asking first…it's still embarrassing to me. And now that I know that it was your first kiss…well, I wish it could have been better for you, Diana."

Diana put a finger to Clark's lips to silence him.

"It was wonderful," She told him. "Surprising? Yes. But it was wonderful."

Clark's face lit up. "Really?"

Diana slid her arms around Clark's neck and pulled him close.

"I wouldn't change a thing," She whispered. "Now, there's only one question I have for you, Kal."

"What's that?"

"Have I gotten any better at kissing since then?"

Clark smiled as he lowered his eyes to Diana's lips.

"Absolutely," He said.

To confirm it, he met her lips in a tender kiss. It warmed Diana from head to toe and as always when came to Clark, the butterflies danced wildly inside of her.

**The End**


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